S. 4301

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4301 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4301

To improve the access of consumers to professional sports broadcasts, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 15 (legislative day, April 14), 2026

Ms. Baldwin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To improve the access of consumers to professional sports broadcasts, 
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``For the Fans Act''.

SEC. 2. ACCESS TO STREAMING OF LIVE GAMES.

(a) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) League.--The term ``league'' means a professional 
sports team organization in the United States for any of the 
following sports:
(A) Baseball.
(B) Basketball.
(C) Football.
(D) Hockey.
(E) Soccer.
(F) Any other sport determined by the Federal Trade 
Commission, pursuant to a rule promulgated in 
accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States 
Code.
(2) League streamer.--The term ``league streamer'' means a 
streaming subscription service streaming the games of a league 
that--
(A) has the name of the league in the title of the 
streaming subscription service;
(B) is promoted by the league;
(C) has an agreement with the league to receive a 
portion of proceeds from streaming the majority of the 
games of the league; or
(D) meets any other requirement, as determined by 
the Federal Trade Commission, pursuant to a rule 
promulgated in accordance with section 553 of title 5, 
United States Code.
(3) Local fan.--The term ``local fan'', with respect to a 
league team, means an individual located in the same State as 
the league team team, or in any other locality determined by 
the Federal Communications Commission.
(b) No Blackouts.--
(1) In general.--A league streamer shall provide to 
customers of the league streamer access to view live every game 
of the league without implementing any kind of blackout for 
consumers, including a geographic blackout.
(2) Enforcement by the federal trade commission.--
(A) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A 
violation of paragraph (1), or a regulation promulgated 
thereunder, shall be treated as a violation of a rule 
defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice under 
section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) and as a violation of section 
5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 
45(a)) relating to unfair methods of competition.
(B) Powers of the commission.--
(i) In general.--The Federal Trade 
Commission shall enforce paragraph (1), and any 
regulation promulgated thereunder, in the same 
manner, by the same means, and with the same 
jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all 
applicable terms and provisions of the Federal 
Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) 
were incorporated into and made a part of this 
Act.
(ii) Privileges and immunities.--Any person 
who violates paragraph (1), or a regulation 
promulgated thereunder, shall be subject to the 
penalties and entitled to the privileges and 
immunities provided in the Federal Trade 
Commission Act.
(iii) Authority preserved.--Nothing in this 
Act shall be construed to limit the authority 
of the Commission under any other provision of 
law.
(iv) Rulemaking.--The Commission may 
promulgate in accordance with section 553 of 
title 5, United States Code, such rules as may 
be necessary to carry out this subsection, 
including with respect to how to comply with 
paragraph (1).
(c) Free Access for Local Fans.--
(1) In general.--A league shall provide to each local fan 
access to view live all games of the league team at no cost to 
the local fan and at a quality of service not less than that 
which is the best available, through a singular method of 
viewing for all games, which may be--
(A) by local telecast or by streaming on a single 
streaming service; and
(B) supported by advertisements.
(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
(A) a minor league team; or
(B) a league with fewer than 8 teams.
(3) Enforcement.--
(A) Enforcement by the federal communications 
commission.--The Federal Communications Commission 
shall have jurisdiction over complaints alleging a 
violation of paragraph (1).
(B) Enforcement by state attorneys general.--
(i) In general.--In any case in which an 
attorney general of a State has reason to 
believe that an interest of the residents of 
that State has been or is threatened or 
adversely affected by the engagement of any 
person in an act or practice that violates this 
Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act, 
the attorney general of the State may, as 
parens patriae, bring a civil action on behalf 
of the residents of the State in an appropriate 
district court of the United States to--
(I) enjoin that act or practice;
(II) enforce compliance with this 
Act or the regulation;
(III) on behalf of residents of the 
State, obtain damages, restitution, or 
other compensation, each of which shall 
be distributed in accordance with State 
law; or
(IV) obtain such other relief as 
the court may consider to be 
appropriate.
(ii) Reasonable attorney's fees.--In a 
civil action brought under clause (i) in which 
the plaintiff prevails, the court may award 
reasonable attorney's fees, including 
litigation expenses, and costs reasonably 
incurred.
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